Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Only God Can Do This....

I have been thinking and reflecting a bunch on the power of God, His Grace, His desire to bless us and move in our lives. Last week in the midst of my cancer scare I had lunch with one of the most non-religious spiritual Jesus loving people I know, Tom, my dentist. We went out to lunch last week after he put my good looking gold crown on.


We were talking all about the changes in either of our lives, the presence of God and His church. Tom asked me if I ever tried to catch a butterfly without a net. I said, "No." He was teaching his kids this past summer and as you probably know, it is nearly impossible, except for maybe Mr. Miagi from Karate Kid. The key is that don't go and try to catch it but just sit still and let it land on you. The point he was making for my life is to stop trying to control, catch, create, manufacture what God can only do. Rest, be still, wait and let God do the healing, creating, birthing and moving in and around my life. That is exactly what I needed to know.

The previous night I was meeting with another non-religious spiritual Jesus loving Friend, Andy, over an adult beverage in Longmont. I love Andy's chaotic faith filled life. A year ago he quit his job, adopted 2 twin African American premies, that makes 6 kids in his house under 7. He was sharing with me the powerful year it has been. Turning down jobs, seeing God move, touching his family and blessing them. It increased my faith a ton.

Much of what I'm pondering and thinking about in our own lives, marriage, family and ministry has been about the real power of God. For so long, tied to my performance issues, I have worked hard for God, producing great results, becoming addicted to them, looking for praise and honor from friends, donors and family. I have done the tried and true strategies that I know with my power, strength and energy will yield great God results. The bummer is that in hind site it doesn't feel like God is moving at all. I'm begging God to bless me, move around me, do something supernatural but I'm unwilling to sit, wait and listen for God to show up.

Starting over in life, marriage and ministry gives us a great opportunity to create a new value system of living, loving and serving. Realizing that my issues are still tucked away in the corners of my heart, we're begging God to shed His grace on us. We need a new and fresh way of living and serving. We want to see the supernatural, not the natural.

Andy sent me this great article from a pastor of a church called, Time Square Church. It is well worth the read.

Maybe all we need is a great big push to move from the Natural to the Supernatural.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Steve,
Wow. Not sure what you thought about the wildly popular book Blue Like Jazz, but as I read through your website/blog I have to believe you and your readers/students would enjoy the new book: Brown Like Coffee. I found it at brownlikecoffee.com
I would love for you to read it and review/critique here on your site. Thanks

Anonymous said...

Dear Steve,

Why are we all control freaks? Jesus is so faithful when we live in Him.

I have been listening to some conversations posted on the http://www.thegodjourney.com website.
I think you will enjoy what Brad and Wayne have to say.

Many blessing in Jesus,

Ben Wardlaw
ALMOST PARADISE
Hilton Head Island, SC
(843) 341-5066